The CRAFT program is offering participating Florida citrus growers an additional incentive to plant early-season oranges.

The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program is looking for Florida citrus growers interested in participating in the upcoming Cycle III portion of the program and is offering an additional incentive to plant early-season oranges, according to a Citrus Industry article. According to the article, the CRAFT program “pays Florida growers to plant trees on which they will conduct commercial field trials based on research that holds promise for managing HLB.” Explore the details below.

CRAFT Incentive to Plant Early-Season Oranges

According to the article, Florida citrus growers who participate in the Cycle III phase of the program “will be offered an additional $1,000-per-acre incentive to plant early-season oranges.” At an early summer board of directors meeting, “some CRAFT board members indicated there is a need for more early- and mid-season varieties to be planted to support the juice market,” according to the article.

The additional incentive is on top of the incentives already supplied by the CRAFT program. The article maintained that “Base fees are $3,400 per acre for solid-set plantings and $1,050 per acre for resets. The early-season orange incentive applies to solid-set projects, so a participating grower planting solid-set early oranges in Cycle III will receive $4,400 per acre.”

Growers interested in participating need to apply by the deadline of 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2021. Growers can learn more and apply at https://craftfdn.org/.

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